CHAPTER NINETEEN


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They had passed the journey in silence so far and Buffy was grateful for the chance to try to process her jumbled thoughts and feelings. She felt overwhelmed with the anger she felt towards Willow and a few times she had to make a conscious effort to loosen her grip on Spike’s hand, which she kept unconsciously clenching even tighter when her emotions started to get the better of her. He said nothing each time, but smoothed his thumb over her knuckles, his presence and his touch providing a calming influence.


They were only a few streets away from her house when a group of scaly demons blocked their path.

“Alright mates, mind if we get through,” Spike said calmly and she gave him a confused look.

“Tayongs,” he explained, “Mostly harmless.”

“Slayer!”

The sound of her name resonated through the group in a growl, sending a shudder through her.

“They don’t appear to be too keen on you though,” Spike commented with a frown.

“Erm, I think I can explain that one. I may have, err, killed one of their friends…earlier today.”

Spike gave her a look she couldn’t quite define and she bit her lip.

“I didn’t really have much control, you know, with the spell and the mad Slayer rage and all.”

“Slayer!!”

“I know, love,” Spike said, squeezing her hand, “Just makes things a tad more difficult. They are mostly harmless… but not necessarily when one of their kind gets offed.”

She frowned, taking in the five, all rather large, demons. This could get messy.

“Look, everybody,” she spoke up, trying to sound confident, “I made a mistake and I-“

“Slayer!”



Before she could finish her sentence, the group descended on them en masse and she gave an almost girlish squeak.

“Buffy, stay back!” Spike shouted, jumping forward in an attempt to block their path to her.

Spike managed to stop several of them, but couldn’t stop two of them that slipped past, dark eyes intent on her.

“Look, I didn’t mean to kill your friend,” she got out, taking careful steps backward, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have-“

She ducked as one of the demons lashed out at her and her fist flew out, landing a sucker punch to its midriff. It cried out and she stood back, looking at her hand in surprise. Her reverie was short-lived, as the second demon jumped on her back, arms locking around her neck. She grabbed its hands, ripping them from her, and with a quick spin, threw the demon to the ground. Her eyes widened in surprise.

“What the hell?!”

“Buffy, watch out!”

She turned just as the first demon came at her again and she quickly spun into a kick that sent it flying. And just like that, she was in motion. A punch-kick-combo took out the demon that had got to its feet, leaving it unconscious on the ground, and she turned just as the other one was rushing her once more. She used its momentum against it and sent it crashing into a nearby wall. Obviously unused to fighting, it scrambled to its feet and took off, away from her.



She frowned, turning back to where Spike was still grappling with the remaining three demons. She jumped into the fray, fists and feet incapacitating a third demon. Seeing two of their friends down, the remaining two took flight and she watched them go blindly, her mind racing with confusion. She turned to Spike only to find him watching her carefully, almost warily.

“Buffy?”

“I’m still me,” she said, reassuring him, “It’s not the spell. I don’t think. I-“

He took a step closer, his hands coming to rest on her arms, and she felt a tingle crawl up the nape of her neck. It was a very familiar tingle that screamed Vampire!

“I-“

She didn’t know what to say, bewildered by what this could mean.

“Buffy?”

She raised her eyes to Spike’s, searching for reassurance, for…something.

“I… I feel like me again. Like-”

“A Slayer.”

She nodded. Spike regarded her for a long moment, his hands brushing over her shoulders.

“Can feel the power in you, pulsing away. Not like under the spell, not that strong. But powerful.”

She could feel it too: the power, the confidence, coursing through her body.

“What’s happening to me?” she asked breathlessly.

“I don’t know. We should call the Watcher, find out–“

She silenced him with a finger on his lips.

“Right now, I don’t really want to see anyone.”

He frowned, pulling away from her, and she reached out for him, tugging him back to her, her hand twisting in his shirt.

“Not you, you idiot,” she scolded him, “I want to see you.”


He softened, his hands rising to skim over her arms.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” she nodded, reaching up to trace her finger over his face – over the scratch she had left. “I hurt you.”

“I’ve had worse,” he murmured with a smile.

She lowered her hand to his chest, touching the point where she had tried to force the stake through his heart.

“I could have killed you,” she said with a frown.

“Buffy,” Spike said softly, drawing her eyes to his, “It wasn’t you.”

“It was the Slayer in me. The Slayer that might just be back in me.”

“Buffy, if you’re worried, we should-“

She shook her head, cutting him off. She gave a little sigh and then raised her head to him, smiling softly.

“It’s not important.”

“No?”

“No. I could be the Slayer again. Maybe not. It doesn’t matter, right?”

“Not to me it doesn’t,” Spike answered, drawing her into his arms.

“Exactly. And I know that, whatever happens, you’ve got my back,” she continued, running her hands up his chest and twining her arms around his neck.

“Always.”

“Then who cares?” she whispered, leaning up and pressing her lips to his. He groaned and tightened his arms around her waist, pulling her tightly against him. And in the end, this was all that mattered –feeling warm, feeling safe and, above all, feeling loved.


THE END

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A/N: Well, I finally made it. Thanks to you all for your patience and hope you enjoyed this. Sorry it took me so long to pull it all together. The good news is, I'm already working on a new story. Coming soon... :-)